Asymmetric MOS technology power device

ABSTRACT

A MOS technology power device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type superimposed over the semiconductor substrate, an insulated gate layer covering the semiconductor layer, a plurality of substantially rectilinear elongated openings parallel to each other in the insulated gate layer, a respective plurality of elongated body stripes of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer under the elongated openings, source regions of the first conductivity type included in the body stripes and a metal layer covering the insulated gate layer and contacting the body stripes and the source regions through the elongated openings. Each body stripe comprises first portions substantially aligned with a first edge of the respective elongated opening and extending under a second edge of the elongated opening to form a channel region, each first portion including a source region extending substantially from a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the respective elongated opening to the second edge of the elongated opening, and second portions, longitudinally intercalated with the first portions, substantially aligned with the second edge of the elongated opening and extending under the first edge of the elongated opening to form a channel region, each second portion including a source region extending substantially from the longitudinal axis of symmetry to the first edge of the elongated opening, the first portions and second portions of the body stripes being respectively aligned in a direction transversal to the longitudinal axis.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. 1. Field of the Invention

2. The present invention relates to a MOS technology power device,particularly a power MOSFET or an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor(IGBT).

3. 2. Discussion of the Related Art

4. Among the most important electric parameters which characterize powerMOS devices are the output resistance (R_(DSon)), the input capacitance(gate-source capacitance or gate-emitter capacitance) and the feedbackcapacitance (gate-drain capacitance or gate-collector capacitance).

5. The output resistance is important during steady-state conditionsbecause the output resistance determines the power dissipation of thepower device, and should therefore be as small as possible.

6. The input and feedback capacitances are instead important duringswitching because the capacitances determine the turn-on and turn-offtime of the power device. Longer turn-on and turn-off times cause ahigher power dissipation during switching and limit the operatingfrequency of the power device.

7. In order to reduce the input and feedback capacitances, it isnecessary to increase the gate oxide thickness and/or to reduce theextension of the area of superposition between the gate electrode, thechannel region and the drain layer.

8. Unfortunately, an increase in gate oxide thickness or reduction inthe area of superposition negatively affects the steady-statecharacteristics of the power device, such as the output resistance. Infact, an increase of the gate oxide thickness would cause an increase ofthe channel region and accumulation components of the output resistance.A reduction of the distance between the body regions of the elementarycells (or stripes) of the power device in an attempt to reduce thesuperposition area between the gate electrode and the drain layer wouldcause an increase of the so-called JFET component of the outputresistance.

9. Conventionally, the distance between the elementary cells or stripesof the power device depends on the lateral diffusion of the body regionsand on the requirement that the JFET component of the output resistanceis to be kept low. For example, in power devices for low-voltageapplications the distance between the elementary cells or stripes of thepower device cannot be lower than 5-6 μm.

10. In the co-pending European Patent Application No. 95830453.7 filedon Oct. 30, 1995 in the name of the same Applicant, a high-density MOStechnology power device is described comprising rectilinear elongatedapertures in the insulated gate layer under which rectilinear elongatedP type body stripes are formed in an N− drain layer. The body stripesextend laterally under the insulated gate layer symmetrically withrespect to the symmetry axes of the elongated apertures in the insulatedgate layer. Inside each body stripe, a plurality of N+ source regionsare formed which are disposed in longitudinal succession on oppositesides with respect to a symmetry axis of the body stripe. In this way,it is possible to reduce the distance between adjacent elongatedapertures in the insulated gate layer without increasing the JFETcomponent of the output resistance, because the portions of the drainlayer positioned between adjacent body stripes experience a current fluxfrom only one side. Device simulations have in fact proved that theoutput resistance depends on the current density in the portions of thedrain layer comprised between adjacent body stripes: an asymmetriccurrent flux allows therefore a reduction of the distance between thebody stripes without increasing the output resistance.

11. However, even in this power device structure the distance betweenadjacent elongated apertures in the insulated gate layer cannot bereduced significantly because of the symmetrical lateral diffusion ofthe body stripes under the insulated gate layer.

12. In view of the state of the art described, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide a MOS technology power device structurewhich allows for the reduction of the input and feedback capacitanceswithout an increase in the output resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

13. According to one embodiment the present invention, this and otherobjects are attained by a MOS technology power device comprising asemiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer of a first conductivitytype superimposed over the semiconductor substrate, an insulated gatelayer covering the semiconductor layer, a plurality of substantiallyrectilinear elongated openings parallel to each other in the insulatedgate layer, a respective plurality of elongated body stripes of a secondconductivity type formed in the semiconductor layer under the elongatedopenings, source regions of the first conductivity type included in thebody stripes and a metal layer covering the insulated gate layer andcontacting the body stripes and the source regions through the elongatedopenings, characterized in that each body stripe comprises firstportions substantially aligned with a first edge of the respectiveelongated opening and extending under a second edge of the elongatedopening to form a channel region, each first portion including a sourceregion extending substantially from a longitudinal axis of symmetry ofthe respective elongated opening to the second edge of the elongatedopening, and second portions, longitudinally intercalated with the firstportions, substantially aligned with the second edge of the elongatedopening and extending under the first edge of the elongated opening toform a channel region, each second portion including a source regionextending substantially from the longitudinal axis of symmetry to thefirst edge of the elongated opening, the first portions and secondportions of the body stripes being respectively aligned in a directiontransversal to the longitudinal axis.

14. In another embodiment of the present invention, the portions ofsemiconductor layer comprised between adjacent body stripes experience acurrent flux coming from only one side, and the distance between thebody stripes can be reduced without increasing the output resistance ofthe power device; in addition, due to the fact that the body stripes donot extend symmetrically under the insulated gate layer, the distancebetween the body stripes can be further reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

15. These and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill be made more evident by the following detailed description of someparticular embodiments thereof, described as non- limiting examples inthe annexed drawings, wherein:

16.FIG. 1 is a top-plan view of a portion of a MOS technology powerdevice according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

17.FIGS. 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views taken along lines II-II andIII-III of FIG. 1, respectively;

18. FIGS. 4 to 7 are cross-sectional views taken along line II-II ofFIG. 1 showing the MOS technology power device according to the firstembodiment of the invention at intermediate steps of a manufacturingprocess thereof;

19.FIG. 8 is a top-plan view of the portion of MOS technology powerdevice of FIG. 1 at a step of the manufacturing process corresponding toFIG. 6;

20.FIGS. 9 and 10 are cross-sectional views respectively similar tothose of FIGS. 2 and 3 showing a MOS technology power device accordingto a second embodiment of the invention;

21.FIGS. 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views showing two steps of aprocess for manufacturing the MOS technology power device according tothe second embodiment of the invention;

22.FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views respectively similar tothose of FIGS. 2 and 3 showing a MOS technology power device accordingto a third embodiment of the invention;

23. FIGS. 15 to 20 are cross-sectional views showing the MOS technologypower device according to the third embodiment of the invention atintermediate steps of a manufacturing process thereof;

24.FIGS. 21 and 22 are cross-sectional views respectively similar tothose of FIGS. 2 and 3 showing a MOS technology power device accordingto a fourth embodiment of the invention;

25. FIGS. 23 to 26 are cross-sectional views showing the MOS technologypower device according to the fourth embodiment of the invention atintermediate steps of a manufacturing process thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

26. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a portion of a MOS technology powerdevice according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown. Thepower device comprises a heavily doped silicon substrate 1 over which anN− silicon layer 2 is formed. In the case of a power MOSFET, siliconsubstrate 1 is N+, while in the case of an Insulated Gate BipolarTransistor (IGBT), silicon substrate 1 is P+.

27. An insulated gate layer is disposed over layer 2. The insulated gatelayer comprises a gate oxide layer 5, typically SiO₂ with thickness of10 to 100 nm, covered by a conductive gate layer 6, typically of dopedpolysilicon, in turn covered by an insulating layer 7. It is to be notedthat in this embodiment the gate oxide layer 5 has a uniform thickness.

28. Parallel rectilinear elongated apertures 10 are formed in theinsulated gate layer, the vertical walls thereof being sealed byinsulating material sidewall spacers 8, typically of SiO₂.

29. P type body stripes 3 are formed in the N− layer 2 under therectilinear elongated apertures 10 in the insulated gate layer. Asvisible, the body stripes 3 are not symmetric with respect to thelongitudinal symmetry axis of the elongated apertures 10 in theinsulated gate layer: the body stripes 3 comprise first portions 31which at one side extend slightly under, a first wall of the apertures10 and at the other side extend significantly under the second wall ofthe apertures 10 to form a channel region, the first portions beinglongitudinally intercalated with second portions 32 which at one sideextend slightly under, the second wall of the apertures 10 and at theother side extend significantly under the first wall of the apertures 10to form the channel region on the opposite side with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the elongated apertures 10.

30. A plurality of N+ source regions 4 are formed in the body stripes 3and are disposed in longitudinal succession on opposite sides withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the elongated apertures 10. In thefirst portions 31 of the body stripes 3, the N+ source regions 4 extendsubstantially from the longitudinal axis of the elongated apertures 10to the second wall thereof, while in the second portions 32 the sourceregions 4 extend from the longitudinal axis of the apertures 10 to thefirst wall thereof.

31. Adjacent body stripes 3 are formed in such a way as the firstportions 31 and the second portions 32 thereof are transversely alignedto each other, so that the channel regions of one body stripe never facethe channel regions of the adjacent body stripes.

32. In this way, the distance between adjacent elongated apertures 10 inthe insulated gate layer can be significantly reduced without increasingthe JFET component of the output resistance of the power device. Infact, considering a generic cross-section transversal to the elongatedapertures 10 such as, for example, those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it ispossible to note that the portion of layer 2 comprised between adjacentbody stripes 3 is run through by a current I coming from only one side.Furthermore, it is only necessary to take into account the lateraldiffusion of one of two adjacent body stripes 3, because the channelregions of one body stripe (which extend under the insulated gate layer)never face the channel regions of the adjacent body stripes.

33. Due to this reduction of the distance between adjacent elongatedapertures 10 in the insulated gate layer, it is possible to reduce thearea of superposition between the gate layer 6 and the drain layer 2(feedback capacitance decreases) and between the gate layer 6 and thebody stripes (input capacitance decreases), with a significantimprovement of the dynamic characteristics. Also, a higher number ofbody stripes can be integrated in a unit chip area, increasing thechannel perimeter per unit area, and hence, decreasing the outputresistance of the power device.

34. A source metal layer 9 (not shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity)covers the surface of the chip and contacts the source regions 4 and thebody stripes 3 through the elongated apertures 10 in the insulated gatelayer.

35. For the manufacturing of the MOS technology power device accordingto the first embodiment of the invention, N− layer 2 is formed over thesilicon substrate 1, generally by means of epitaxial growth. Afterhaving defined in a conventional way active area regions over thesurface of layer 2, gate oxide layer 5 is formed, for example by meansof thermal oxide growth, over the surface of layer 2 in the activeareas; polysilicon layer 6 is then deposited over gate oxide layer 5,and it is doped for increasing its conductivity; insulating materiallayer 7 is then deposited over polysilicon layer 6 (FIG. 4).

36. By means of selective etching, rectilinear elongated windows 10 arethen formed in the insulating layer 7 and polysilicon layer 6 down tothe gate oxide layer 5 (FIG. 5).

37. A photoresistant layer 11 is then deposited over the whole surfaceof the chip, and is selectively etched (by means of a dedicated mask) toform an implantation mask layer having substantially a checkerboardlayout shown in FIG. 8. A high-diffusivity P type dopant, such as boron,and an N type dopant with lower diffusivity, such as arsenic, are thenimplanted in respective doses of 10¹³ to 10¹⁴ ions/cm² and 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁶ions/cm² through the mask layer formed by photoresistant layer 11 (FIG.6).

38. A thermal treatment is then executed, for example submitting thechip to a temperature of 1000 to 1150 C. for approximately 10 minutes to2 hours, to make the dopants diffuse. As is known, boron has a higherdiffusivity than arsenic, so that the former diffuses laterally andvertically to a greater extent than the latter; N+ source regions 4 canthus be formed internally to P type body stripes 3 (FIG. 7). As shown inFIG. 6, the mask layer covers half of the aperture 10 in the insulatedgate layer, after dopant diffusion the P type body stripes extend underthe gate oxide layer 5 only at one side, while at the other side theyare substantially aligned to the wall of the apertures 10.

39. Insulating spacers 8 are then formed at the vertical walls of theelongated openings 10 in the insulating and polysilicon layers 7 and 6,and the gate oxide layer 5 is removed from over the body stripes 3 todefine contact windows. The source metal layer 9 is then deposited overthe surface of the chip, so that the source metal layer can contact thebody stripes 3 and the source regions 4.

40.FIGS. 9 and 10 show, in cross-sectional views similar to those ofFIGS. 2 and 3, a MOS technology power device according to a secondembodiment of the invention. Different from the previous embodiment,additional P type regions 12, preferably shallower than the sourceregions 4 and with doping level of approximately 10¹⁷ to 10¹⁹ atoms/cm³,are formed along the sides of the portions 31 and 32 of the body stripes3 which do not extend significantly under the insulated gate layer, thatis, the sides of portions 31 and 32 opposite to the sides wherein thesource regions 4 are formed. P type regions 12 ensure that the sourcemetal layer 9 does not contact the N− layer 2, what would cause ashort-circuit between source and drain of the power device. P typeregions 12 also reduces the base resistance (r_(bb)) of parasiticbipolar transistor having emitter, base and collector respectivelyformed by N+ source regions 4, P type body regions 3 and N− layer 2,which is intrinsically associated to the power MOSFET structure.

41. For the manufacturing of the MOS technology power device accordingto the second embodiment of the invention, the same manufacturingprocess previously described is suitable; it is only necessary to add animplantation step of a P type dopant, such as for example boron in adose of 10¹⁴ to 10¹⁵ ions/cm². Such additional implantation step can beperformed after the thermal diffusion process of the dopants forming thebody stripes 3 and the source regions 4 (FIG. 11), followed by anadditional thermal diffusion process, or prior to the formation of thebody stripes 3 and source regions 4, provided that a dopant with lowerdiffusivity than those used for the body stripes and source regions isutilized. Also, the P type regions 12 can be formed after the definitionof the contact areas (FIG. 12). No dedicated mask is required, providedthat the doping level of regions 12 is lower than that of source regions4:- the implantation mask is provided by the insulated gate layer.

42.FIGS. 13 and 14 show, in cross-sectional views similar to those ofFIGS. 2 and 3, a MOS technology power device according to a thirdembodiment of the present invention. Different from the structuresaccording to the first and second embodiment, the insulated gate layerdoes not comprise a gate oxide layer 5 with a uniform thickness over theportions of layer 2 disposed between the body stripes 3. In fact, asvisible, the insulated gate layer comprises an oxide layer with portions52, having thickness substantially equal to that of the gate oxide layer5 in the structure of FIG. 2, extending from the sides of the portions31, 32 of the body stripes which extends under the insulated gate layerto form the channel regions to approximately half the distance from theadjacent body stripes, and portions 51 of greater thickness(approximately 100 to 300 nm) extending from the side of the bodystripes 3 which are substantially aligned with the walls of theelongated openings 10 to approximately half of the distance from theadjacent body stripes 3.

43. This structure allows to further reduce the feedback capacitance ofthe power device, because where it is not strictly necessary for theformation of a conductive channel, the gate layer 6 is separated fromthe drain layer 2 by an oxide layer 51 thicker than the gate oxide layer52.

44. For the manufacturing of a MOS technology power device according tothe third embodiment of the invention, after the N− layer 2 has beenepitaxially grown over the N+ substrate 1 and active areas have beendefined over the surface of layer 2, an oxide layer 50 having thicknessof approximately 100 to 300 nm is formed over the surface of layer 2 inthe active areas (FIG. 15).

45. As shown in FIG. 16, oxide layer 50 is then selectively removed fromthe surface of layer 2, for example by means of wet etching techniques,to form the portions 51 of oxide layer shown in FIGS. 13 and 14.

46. With reference to FIG. 17, portions 52 of a thinner gate oxide layerwith thickness of 10 to 100 nm are then formed over the surface of layer2 between the thicker oxide portions 51, and a polysilicon layer 6 isformed over the oxide layers 51 and 52. The polysilicon layer 6 is thendoped to increase its conductivity. An insulating material layer 7 isdeposited over the polysilicon layer 6.

47. With reference to FIG. 18, the insulating layer 7 and the underlyingpolysilicon layer 6 are then selectively removed down to the oxide layerportions 51 and 52 to open rectilinear elongated windows 10; insidewindows 10, the surface of layer 2 is left covered by oxide layers 51and 52. A P type dopant, such as boron, is then implanted in a dose of10¹³ to 10¹⁴ ions/cm2 and at an energy in the range 100-200 KeV, at animplantation angle with respect to the orthogonal direction to thesurface of layer 2 such that the shadow area determined by layers 6 and7 is less then the lateral diffusion of the dopant during a subsequentthermal process; the implantation energy is such that the peak of thedopant concentration after the implant is located at approximately0.3-0.5 μm from the surface of layer 2; the thickness of the oxide layer51 shall be not too high to prevent masking of the P type dopant duringimplantation.

48. With reference to FIG. 19, after execution of a thermal treatment tomake the P type dopant diffuse and form the P type body stripes 3, an Ntype dopant such as arsenic is implanted orthogonally to the surface oflayer 2, in a dose of approximately 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁶ ions/cm² and at anenergy sufficiently to make the dopant pass through the thinner oxidelayer 52 but not through the thicker oxide layer 51; the thickness ofoxide layer 51 must therefore be sufficiently high to mask the N typedopant implantation.

49. Another thermal treatment is then executed to make the N type dopantdiffuse to form the N+ source regions 4 (FIG. 20).

50. Sidewall spacers 8 of insulating material are then formed at thevertical walls of elongated windows 8, and the oxide layers 51 and 52inside the elongated windows 10 are then removed by means of a dryetching process; the thickness of oxide layer 51 should not be too highnot to hamper the etching process. Source metal layer 9 is thendeposited over the surface of the chip.

51. The final structure has a layout similar to that shown in FIG. 1,with asymmetric body stripes; however, as already mentioned, thisstructure is more advantageous from the point of view of the dynamicperformance.

52.FIGS. 21 and 22 show in cross-sectional views similar to those ofFIGS. 2 and 3 a MOS technology power device according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is quite similar tothat shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, but with the addition of P type regions12 formed along the sides of the portions 31 and 32 of the body stripes3 which do not extend significantly under the insulated gate layer. Asin the second embodiment previously described, P type regions 12 ensurethat the source metal layer 9 does not come into contact with the drainlayer 2.

53. A process for the manufacturing the power device of FIGS. 21 and 22is shown in FIGS. 23 to 26. The process is similar to the last describedone up to the definition of the elongated openings 10 in layers 7 and 6.

54. With reference to FIG. 23, a P type dopant such as, for example,boron, is implanted orthogonally to the surface of layer 2 throughwindows 10. The P type dopant is implanted in a dose of approximately10¹³ to 10¹⁴ ions/cm² and at an energy of 30 to 100 KeV; the thicknessof oxide portions 51 and the implantation energy of the P type dopantmust be such that oxide portions 51 mask the implantation of the P typedopant: the P type dopant is thus implanted in layer 2 only under theportions 52 of thin gate oxide layer.

55. A thermal treatment is then performed to make the implanted P typedopant diffuse to form the P type body stripes 3. As visible from FIG.24, under the oxide portions 51 the body stripes do not reach the edgeof the elongated openings 10.

56. An N type dopant such as, for example, arsenic, is then implantedorthogonally in a dose of approximately 10¹⁵ to 10¹⁶ ions/cm² and at anenergy of 30 to 100 KeV through windows 10. The thickness of oxideportions 51 and the implantation energy of the N type dopant must besuch that oxide portions 51 mask the implantation of the N type dopant(FIG. 24).

57. With reference to FIG. 25, a thermal process is then executed tomake the implanted N type dopant diffuse, to form the N+ source regions4.

58. With reference to FIG. 26, insulating material sidewall spacers 8are then formed at the edges of openings 10, and the oxide layers 51 and52 are removed from the surface of layer 2 inside the openings 10 todefine contact areas to the body stripes 3 and the source regions 4. A Ptype dopant such as, for example, boron is then implanted in the contactareas in a dose of approximately 10¹⁴ to 10¹⁵ ions/cm², and it is thenmade to diffuse to form P type regions 12.

59. Having thus described at least one illustrative embodiment of theinvention, various alterations, modifications, and improvements willreadily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations,modifications, and improvements are intended to be within the spirit andscope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by wayof example only and is not intended as limiting. The invention islimited only as defined in the following claims and the equivalentsthereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A MOS technology power device comprising: asemiconductor substrate, a semiconductor layer of a first conductivitytype superimposed over the semiconductor substrate, an insulated gatelayer covering the semiconductor layer, a plurality of substantiallyrectilinear elongated openings parallel to each other in said insulatedgate layer, a respective plurality of elongated body stripes of a secondconductivity type formed in said semiconductor layer under saidelongated openings; source regions of the first conductivity typeincluded in said body stripes and a metal layer covering the insulatedgate layer and contacting the body stripes and the source regionsthrough said elongated openings, wherein each body stripe comprisesfirst portions substantially aligned with a first edge of the respectiveelongated opening and extending under a second edge of said elongatedopening to form a channel region, each first portion including a sourceregion extending substantially from a longitudinal axis of symmetry ofsaid respective elongated opening to said second edge of the elongatedopening, and second portions, longitudinally intercalated with saidfirst portions, substantially aligned with the second edge of theelongated opening and extending under the first edge of the elongatedopening to form a channel region, each second portion including a sourceregion extending substantially from said longitudinal axis of symmetryto said first edge of the elongated opening, said first portions andsecond portions of the body stripes being respectively aligned in adirection transversal to said longitudinal axis.
 2. The MOS technologypower device according to claim 1 , wherein said insulated gate layercomprises a gate oxide layer covering the semiconductor layer and havinga uniform thickness, a conductive gate layer covering the gate oxidelayer and an insulating layer covering the conductive gate layer for theinsulation thereof from the metal layer.
 3. The MOS technology powerdevice according to claim 1 , wherein said insulated gate layercomprises an oxide layer covering the semiconductor layer, a conductivegate layer covering the oxide layer and an insulating layer covering theconductive gate layer for the insulation thereof from the metal layer,the oxide layer comprising first oxide layer portions having a firstthickness and extending over the channel regions of the first and secondportions of the body stripes to an intermediate points between adjacentelongated openings, and second oxide layer portions having a secondthickness and extending from said intermediate points to the edges ofthe adjacent elongated openings.
 4. The MOS technology power deviceaccording to claim 3 , wherein said second thickness is greater thansaid first thickness.
 5. The MOS technology power device according toclaim 2 , wherein said first portions of the body stripes compriserespective superficial enrichment regions of the second conductivitytype extending substantially from said longitudinal axis of symmetry ofthe respective elongated openings to said first edge thereof, and saidsecond portions of the body stripes comprise respective superficialenrichment regions of the second conductivity type extendingsubstantially from said longitudinal axis of symmetry to said secondedge of the respective elongated openings.
 6. The MOS technology powerdevice according to claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor substrate is ofthe first conductivity type.
 7. The MOS technology power deviceaccording to claim 1 , wherein said semiconductor substrate is of thesecond conductivity type.
 8. The MOS technology power device accordingto claim 6 , wherein said first conductivity type is N type and saidsecond conductivity type is P type.
 9. The MOS technology power deviceaccording to claim 7 , wherein said first conductivity type is N typeand said second conductivity type is P type.
 10. The MOS technologypower device according to claim 6 , wherein said first conductivity typeis P type and said second conductivity type is N type.
 11. The MOStechnology power device according to claim 7 , wherein said firstconductivity type is P type and said second conductivity type is N type.12. A process for the manufacturing of a MOS technology power device,comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor layer of a firstconductivity type over a semiconductor substrate; forming an insulatedgate layer over the semiconductor layer; forming a plurality ofsubstantially rectilinear elongated openings parallel to each other insaid insulated gate layer; forming a respective plurality of elongatedbody stripes of a second conductivity type in said semiconductor layerunder said elongated openings; forming source regions of the firstconductivity type inside said body stripes, and covering the insulatedgate layer with a metal layer which contacts the body stripes and thesource regions through said elongated openings, wherein said bodystripes are formed in such a way as to comprise first portionssubstantially aligned with a first edge of the respective elongatedopenings and extending under a second edge of said elongated opening toform a channel region, each first portion including a source regionextending substantially from a longitudinal axis of symmetry of saidrespective elongated opening to said second edge of the elongatedopening, and second portions, longitudinally intercalated with saidfirst portions, substantially aligned with the second edge of theelongated opening and extending under the first edge of the elongatedopening to form a channel region, each second portion including a sourceregion extending substantially from said longitudinal axis of symmetryto said first edge of the elongated opening, said first portions andsecond portions of the body stripes being respectively aligned in adirection transversal to said longitudinal axis.
 13. The processaccording to claim 12 , wherein said body stripes and said sourceregions are formed by means of respective selective implantation ofdopants through a same masking layer superimposed over the insulatedgate layer, said masking layer having apertures therein forming acheckerboard pattern over each of said elongated openings in theinsulated gate layer.
 14. The process according to claim 13 , wherein afirst dopant forming the body stripes has, in said semiconductor layer,a higher diffusivity than a second dopant forming the source regions, sothat during a thermal diffusion treatment following said implantation ofdopants the first dopant diffuses more than the second dopant.
 15. Theprocess according to claim 14 , further comprising the steps ofimplanting a third dopant of the second conductivity type for formingsuperficial enrichment regions of the second conductivity type extendingsubstantially from said longitudinal axis of symmetry of the elongatedopenings to the first edge of the elongated openings in said firstportions of the body stripes, and from the longitudinal axis of symmetryto the second edge of the elongated openings in said second portions ofthe body stripes.
 16. The process according to claim 15 , wherein saidthird dopant is implanted after the thermal diffusion treatment of thefirst and second dopant.
 17. The process according to claim 16 , whereinsaid third dopant is implanted through said elongated apertures in theinsulated gate layer.
 18. The process according to claim 12 , furthercomprising the steps of: forming over the semiconductor layer a firstoxide layer having a first thickness; selectively removing the firstoxide layer to leave first oxide layer portions forming a checkerboardpattern over the semiconductor layer; forming a second oxide layerportions having a second thickness over the semiconductor layer whereinsaid first oxide layer has been removed, the second thickness beinglower than the first thickness; forming over the first and second oxidelayer portions a polysilicon gate layer; forming an insulating layerover the polysilicon gate layer; selectively etching the insulatinglayer and the polysilicon gate layer to form said plurality ofsubstantially rectilinear parallel elongated openings, said elongatedopenings having a first edge and a second edge and comprising firstportions wherein the semiconductor layer is covered from said first edgeto the longitudinal axis of symmetry by said first oxide layer portionsand from the longitudinal axis of symmetry to the second edge by saidsecond oxide layer portions, longitudinally intercalated with secondportions wherein the semiconductor layer is covered from said first edgeto the longitudinal axis of symmetry by said second oxide layer portionsand from the longitudinal axis of symmetry to the second edge by saidfirst oxide layer portions; implanting a first dopant of a firstconductivity type along directions lying in a plane transversal to saidelongated openings and slanted with respect to a direction orthogonal toa surface of the semiconductor layer at an energy sufficient to make thefirst dopant penetrate through the first oxide layer portions; diffusingthe first dopant to form said body stripes; implanting a second dopantof the first conductivity type having a diffusivity in the semiconductorlayer lower than a diffusivity of the first dopant, at an energysufficient to make the first dopant penetrate through the second oxidelayer portions but not through the first oxide layer portions, anddiffusing the second dopant to form said source regions; forminginsulating sidewall spacers at the edges of said elongated openings;removing the first and second oxide layer portions from the surface ofthe semiconductor layer under said elongated openings to form elongatedcontact windows; and forming a metal layer over the insulating layer.19. The process according to claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:forming over the semiconductor layer a first oxide layer having a firstthickness; selectively removing the first oxide layer to level firstoxide layer portions forming a checkerboard pattern over thesemiconductor layer; forming a second oxide layer portions having asecond thickness over the semiconductor layer wherein said first oxidelayer has been removed, the second thickness being lower than the firstthickness; forming over the first and second oxide layer portions apolysilicon gate layer; forming an insulating layer over the polysilicongate layer; selectively etching the insulating layer and the polysilicongate layer to form said plurality of substantially rectilinear parallelelongated openings, said elongated openings having a first edge and asecond edge and comprising first portions wherein the semiconductorlayer is covered from said first edge to the longitudinal axis ofsymmetry by said first oxide layer portions and from the longitudinalaxis of symmetry to the second edge by said second oxide layer portions,longitudinally intercalated with second portions wherein thesemiconductor layer is covered from said first edge to the longitudinalaxis of symmetry by said second oxide layer portions and from thelongitudinal axis of symmetry to the second edge by said first oxidelayer portions; implanting a first dopant of the second conductivitytype orthogonally to a surface of the semiconductor layer at an energysufficiently high to make the first dopant penetrate though the secondoxide layer portions but not through the first oxide layer portions;diffusing the first dopant to form said body stripes; implantingorthogonally to said surface of the semiconductor layer a second dopantof the first conductivity type having a diffusivity in the semiconductorlayer lower than a diffusivity of the first dopant, at an energysufficiently high to make the second dopant penetrate through the secondoxide layer portions but not through the first oxide layer portions;diffusing the second dopant; forming insulating sidewall spacers at theedges of said elongated openings; removing the first and second oxidelayer portions from the surface of the semiconductor layer under saidelongated openings; implanting a third dopant of the second conductivitytype through said elongated openings and diffusing the third dopant forforming superficial enrichment regions of the second conductivity typeextending substantially from said longitudinal axis of symmetry of theelongated openings to the first edge of the elongated openings in saidfirst portions of the body stripes, and from the longitudinal axis ofsymmetry to the second edge of the elongated openings in said secondportions of the body stripes; forming a metal layer over the insulatedgate layer.